Apparatus for the treatment of cottonseed and the like



May 6, 1941. o. KETTENBACH APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT COTTONSEED AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 1 5, 1937 LIKE May 6, 1941. o. KETTEN BACH APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF COTTONSEED AND THE Filed Juiy is, 1937 (I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lllll INVIENTOR Osca rL. Kefienbach.

BY 1 WW *ua ATTORNEYS Patented May 6, 1941 APPARATUS FOR. THE TREATMENT OF COTTONSEED AND THE LIKE Oscar L. Kettenbach, Tucson, Ariz., assignor to Chemical Seed Treating and Delinting Corporation, a corporation of Arizona.

Application July 15, 1937, Serial No. 153,734

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in processes and apparatus for the treatment of cottonseed and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved process for removing lint and other undesirable material from cottonseed.

A further object is to provide a process of the above nature including the application of heated acid to the seed.

Another object is to provide means for carrying out the above process, said means being adapted to receive the seed, conduct it throughout the complete process of delinting by acid action, washing, separating and drying, and to eject the completely processed seed in a manner convenient for storage or shipment.

Another object is to provide means of the above type which is readily controllable and adapted to automatic operation.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide means in the system to separate and eliminate from the run of seed all light, sterile, arid, immature seeds, as well as all pods, leaves, sticks and light trash, so that the germination of the finished product may be a maximum regardless of how poor in germination the untreated supply of seed may be.

Still another object is to provide apparatus of the above character which is substantially selfcontained and which is compact and economical in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear during the course of the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal view of the device partly in section;

Figure 2 is a fragmental view supplementary to Figure 1 and disclosing the loading means;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal view showing the details of the delinter apparatus and the floater;

Figure 4 is an end sectional view on the lines 4-4, Figures 1 and 3;

Figure 5 is a similar view on the lines 5-5, Figures 1 and 3;

Figure 6 shows a suitable arrangement of an acid storage receptacle for use with the apparatus;

rights [2 is an inclined, structure l3, hereinafter generally referred to as the delinter, and comprising two aligned cylindrical sections l5 and I6 joined by an intermediate T section I1. The sections l5, l6 and I! are preferably made of cast iron, and sections l5 and I6 are provided withwater jackets l8 and I9; An upwardly opening, hopper is provided on the lower end of the first section I5. A water-jacketed tank 2| is supported on a bracket 22 above the section l5, and a pipe 23, controllable by a valve l4, leads out of the bottom of tank 2| to deliver fluid therefrom into the hopper 20.

An inclined spiral conveyor 24, Figures 1 and 2, is adapted to deliver seeds or similar material into the hopper 20, the conveyor shaft 25 having on its lower end a bevel gear 26, Figure 2, meshing with a second bevel gear 21 on a horizontal shaft 28 supported under a feeding bin 29. A short horizontal screw feeder in the bottom of bin 29 is driven from shaft 28 by any suitable means such as abelt 3| on step pulleys 3la, and is adapted to force material from the bin 29 into the inclined conveyor 24. Rotating agitators 30a in the bin 29 prevent clogging and insure proper feeding by the screw 30. x

A rotary shaft 32, Figures 1, 3 and 5, extends through the delinter l3, the lower bearing 33 being sealed to prevent egress of'fluid from the hopper 20. The shaft 32 carries a plurality of spirally inclined paddles 34 adapted to impel material being treated upward through the delinter l3 from the hopper 20, the shaft 32 being driven through a chain 35 from a jack-shaft 3B which in turn is driven via a V-belt' 31 by a reversible and variable speed motor 38, Figures 4 and 5.

A chute 39 leads diagonally downward from the upper end of the delinter section l6 into one end of a washer 40 comprising an elongated trough 4|, Figure 1 in which is rotatably mounted a suitable screw conveyor 42 which may be equipped with pick-ups or small fins 43, Figure 4, for the purpose of thoroughly stirring the seed as it is being washed. A water-pipe 44 overlies the trough 4| and is equipped with downwardly directed spray nozzles 45. The water-pipe is adapted to'be connected to any suitable source of water supply. A sloping branch 46 of pipe 44, also equipped with nozzles, is located in. the top of the inclined chute 39 as shown in Figures 4 and 5. Perforations 41 are provided in the bottom of the washing trough 4| to allow'exit of water therefrom into a drain-trough 48 having an outlet pipe 48a leading to a sump I03 hereinafter described, adapted to be connected to an, suitable drain.

Situated directly below the delinter I3 is a structure 49 generally referred to hereinafter as the floater. The floater 49 has a sharply inclined trough 50, the lower portion of which has high gears 53 from a cross shaft 54, the cross shaft 54 end of the dryer conveyor 18 and in turn move it to a delivery pipe 85. A second blower 85,

being driven by a chain 55 from a second cross shaft 55 which also drives the washer conveyor 42 through bevelgears 51, the second cross shaft 55 in turn being driven via a chain Why a motor 59, Figures 1, 4 and 5-.

A substantially horizontal oham so, Figures 1,

. 3 and 4, disposed above the triangular tank 5| and provided with sprocket shafts 5| and 52,

carries a series of paddles or skimmers 53 adapted to engage and skim'the surface 54 of the water in the tank 5| ashereinafter described. The

skimmers 63 over-ride a downwardly inclined lip.

55 in the end of the tank 5| abovea basket or other suitable receiver 55 re'movably supported in ways 51 on the base II. The ways 51 enclose a sump I03 on the top of which is a removable screen I04. The sump is provided with an outlet pipe I05 leading to any suitable drain. A

valve I05 and pipe I01 provide means of draining the floater tank 5| into the sump through the screen I04. The washer outlet pipe 480 also drains into the sump through the screen, and

drivenby a motor 81, forces a blast of air through the pipe 85 to eject the finished material received from the conveyor 84. The ejector pipe 85 is adapted to deliver the material to any desired destination such as cars, bins or to suitable dusting device, and is provided with an auxiliary outlet spout 88, Figure 1, controllable by an internal flap valve 89. It will be notedin Figures 1, 4

and 5 that the small ejector conveyor 84 and the initial feed screw 25 are both driven through A chain linkages from the same motor 58, so that the relative peeds of the two remain the same at all times, ensuring proper ejection.

A motor driven pump 80, Figure 1, is adapted to circulate warm water from a water heater 9| through the jackets of the delinter I3 and acid tank 2| via suitable piping 92, part of which piping is cut away in the drawings to avoid undue complication. The temperature of the jacket water may be controlled by a thermostat 93, Figures 1 and 3, arranged in the piping system 92. As the operation of such thermostatic controllers is well-known, further description herein is unnecessary.- T Y To replenish the supply of acid in the jacketed tank 2| the latter has a pipe line 94 leading to a storage drum 95, Figure 6, located 'at any convenient point near the remainder of the apparatus. The pipe lineg84 enters the drum 95 a pipe I08 and valve I09, Figure 3, allow the material in hopper 20 to be discharged, either into the basket 66 or on the screenI04 when 'desired, for instance when washing out the delinter.

The upper portion ofv theinclined floater trough 50 has perforations 58, Figures 1 and 3, under which is supported a drip trough 58 provided with a return pipe 10 leading bwk into the floater. i

From the delivery end of the washer 48 an inclined chute '|I',Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5, leads downward and curves into the bottom corner of the triangular tank 5| of the floater 48. A screw conveyor 12 is provided in the chute to force the seeds downward from-the washer and de-' liver them into the floater. A horizontal cross through a. sealing plug 95 and terminates near the bottom of the drum. An air compressor 91, Figures 1 and 5, has a discharge-line 98 also entering. the drum 95 through the plug 85 but terminating at the inside of the plug and therefore above the level ofthe acid 99. Operation of the compressor 91 causes an air pressure to be built 'up in the drum 85 above theacid 99, which pressure forces the acid through the pipe line 84 to the jacketed feed tank 2|. An escape pipe I80 forming a'branch of the air pipe 88 is provided with a valve |0|- by means-of which the passage I3 leads from theupper part of the tank 5| to the inclined chute II, serving to equalize thewater level in these structures, and

is provided with a screen 14.

An inclined delivery passage or pipe 15 leads from the upper end'of the floater trough 50 to the end ofa substantially horizontalstructure 16, generally referred to herein as the dryer and comprising a trough .11 provided with a paddleconveyor I8, havingagitators 18a and driven by a suitable chain and bevel gearing from the shaft 55. A hood 19 is hinged to the topof the trough I'l so as to cover the entire top thereof, a romovable screen 80 being provided between the interiors of the two' structures. A blower 8|, Figure 1, operable by a motor 82, is adapted to draw pressure drum 85 and hence the flow of acid to the tank 2| may be regulated.

The operation of the device is as follows, dealing with cottonseed as a typical material to be processed.-

Fuzzy cottonseed is moved from the feeding bin 28 by the feed screw 30 and deposited in the I4 from the water-jacketed tank 2| which, as

previously noted, receives its acid supply from the storage drum 95, Figure 6. The paddles 34, Figure 3, thoroughly mix the seed and acid and propel the mixture upward through the delinter I3, the T section I'I providing an upwardly directed opening through which the material may be inspected in its passage from the section I5 to the section I5.

The heat supplied by the water-jackets of the tank 2| and delinter I3 keep the acid at the best temperature for proper delinting. At the same time, the heat increases the fluidity of the acid so that as the mixture travels up through the delinter I8 the free acid readily separates from the seed and drains back to the hopper 20. Thus, when the seed, having had its fuzz removed by the acid, emerges from the upper end of the delinter it carries no acid which can be removed by drainage or pressure, the controlled heating of the acid thereby keeping the consumption of acid to a minimum with a resultant saving in cost of operation, as well as delinting more eiflciently than is possible with cold acid. In

a normal operation the temperature is held between 110 and 125 degrees Fahrenheit. In this range the delinting "action is rapid and efflcient, while the temperature of the acid is not sufficiently high to damage the seed.

The cast iron paddles 34 propel the delinted seed from the delinter into the inclined chute 33 ed in any suitable manner adiacent the inspection T 11. The motor 38 being variable in speed permits the speed of delinting to be readily adjusted to provide for proper duration for different. types of seed, seeds with heavy fuzz requiring longer acid action for perfect delinting than do these with lighter fuzz. The inspection T H permits the operator to readily gage the proper speed of the motor 38 and proper amount of acid feed by the appearance of the seed passing upward through the delinter. The motors 38 and 53 beingreversible, the machine may readily be run backward to facilitate cleaning at the end of a day's run or whenever desired.

The process described delivers seed which is clean, free from disease, and capable of germina- 1 tion in forty-eight hours, whereas untreated seed normally requires eight or more days. Due to the action of the floater, as described, the'flnished seed germinates 95 per cent or more, irrespective conveyor 42 the pickups l3, Figures 4 and 8,

thoroughly stir the seed to expose it uniformly to. the washing water. the seed, drips through the perforations 41 in the drain trough l8, thence out to the 'sump I03 via the pipe 48a. If desired, solid residue from the wash water may be collected from the sump screen I04 and sold for fertilizer or the like.

The seed having traveled throughout the en- The water, having washed.

tire length of the trough ll and having "been thoroughly washed therein, is delivered into the chute ll containing the screw conveyor 12. The

conveyor 12 forces the seed down the chute and delivers it to the floater 49 at a point near the bottom of the triangular tank 5|, as shown in section in Figure 8.

The heavy, fertile seeds are carried up the inclined floater trough 50, while the light, sterile and immature seeds, as well as any leaves, sticks, pods, or other light'trash, rise to the surface of the water inthe tank SI and are skimmed ofi into the basket 66 by the paddles 63, Figure I.

As the heavy seed is carried above the water level in the trough 5|, excess water drains therefrom through the perforations i8, thence back'into the floater through the pipe'lll.

Emerging from the top of the floater IS, the

seed passes down the delivery passage 15 to the dryer 16. Here the seed is propelled along the trough 11 by the paddles conveyor 13, the agitators 18a meanwhile stirring or agitating the seed. A blast of heated air, delivered from the heater 83 by the blower 3| via the hood I9 and screen 80, passes over and through the agitated seed throughout the entire length of the dryer,

of how poor in germination the original untreated seed may have been. The light seed deposited in the basket 66, which is usable for purposes other than planting, may sacked separately if desired.

The bottom midportion "b of the trough 11 may be hinged to swing downward for cleaning, being provided with hinges. 'llq and suitable latches 'I-ld as shown in Figure 8.' Throughout all the conveyors a clearance of about 541 inch is provided between the impellers and the casings, thus avoiding grinding and breaking of the seed. It will be seen from the foregoing description that the device as described provides means to carry out a complete and thorough delinting process, the apparatus being compact, readily conbe dried and trollable, economical, largely automatic in action,

and the resulting product being of the highest quality for its purpose. i

Whfle the invention has been described in preferred form it is not limited to the precise structures illustrated, as various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of thecharacter described, in combination, a delinter adapted to subject seed to the action of acid, a washer, means to conduct said seed from said delinter into said washer, a

floater comprising an inclined trough having raised walls forming a tank at the lower end i thereof and containinga bath of water, means to force said seed from said washer directly into the bottom of said tank whereby light material among said seed may separatefrom the heavy the air finding egress through the perforations 11a. The temperature of air blast as previously noted, maybe controlled by means of the thermostat, the 'upper limit of temperature being about 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

The seed, having been thoroughly dried, drops I into the small horizontal conveyor ll which propels it into the discharge pipe 85 through which a blast of air from the blower 86 ejects the seed for storing, sacking or dusting as previously set forth.

The controls for the various motors, which con .trols may be of conventional types and are therefore omitted from the drawings to avoid unnecessary complication, may be grouped on a panel board such as is indicated in dotted and dashed lines at H0, Figures 1 and 3, conveniently mount- -,seed and float to the surface of said bath, a mechanical skimmer traversing substantially the entire top of said tank and adapted to remove said light. material from said surface, and a conveyor extending along the entire inclined bottom of said trough in unobstructed communlca, tion with said bath, said conveyor being adapted to move said heavy seed upward. through said trough. A r Y 2. In a device of the character described, in combination; a frame; an inclined delinter mounted thereon and adapted to, continuously subject seed to the actionof acid whereby lint may be removed from said seed; a washer sup-- ported on said frame beside said delinter and adapted to cleanse said seed of said removed lint flotation, means to extractsaid trash and on said frame under said washer and adapted to 7 condition said seed for shipment and storage; 5

said delinter, washer, floater and dryer each including rotary conveying means to move seed therethrough; a motor operatively connected to said rotary means of said delinter, said motor i eing variable in speed whereby the time of action of said acid on said seed may be controlled; a second motor operatively connected to said rotary means of said washer, floater and dryer; conducting passages from said delinter to said washer, from said washer into the lower portion dryer; and mechanical means to'remove dried seed from said dryer.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 including an acid tank, adjustable means to feed acid from said tank into said delinter, said delinter and tank having water jackets, a water heater on said base, means tocirculate water from said. heater through said jackets, and a thermostat adapted to control the temperature of said water, whereby the temperature and viscosity of said acid may be controlled to regulate the chemical actionof said acid on said seed.

OSCAR L. KEI'I'ENBACH.

of said floater. and from said floater into said 

